Vince Carter was given two consecutive technical fouls (an automatic ejection) by referee Derrick Stafford for arguing a call midway through the second quarter of Wednesday afternoon's game in Detroit. The Nets couldn't pick up the slack and enter 2009 at two games below .500, there for the first time since November 18. The Pistons were without Richard Hamilton and lost Rasheed Wallace in the second quarter to a sore foot, but they never trailed after the first period. Behind Brook Lopez, the Nets hung around and cut the lead to just three with three minutes to go, but they never got a chance to tie. Lopez led all scorers and rebounders with 23 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, the seventh consecutive game he's had at least two blocks. Devin Harris added 19 points and nine assists and Yi Jianlian had 12, his highest scoring game in the last seven. Overall, the Nets shot just 37 percent as a team. Carter did not speak to the media after the game, but according to Lawrence Frank, he reacted to something that Stafford said that Carter "thought was very inappropriate."
- Boxscore - NBA.com
- Pistons beat Nets 83-75 - AP
- Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
- Wallace hurt in Pistons' fifth straight win - Chris McCosky - Detroit News
- Pistons 83, Nets 75 - Ryan Pretzer - Detroit Pistons
- Nets lose to Pistons, 83-75 - David Waldstein - Star-Ledger
- The Palace - Al Iannazzone - In the 'Zzone
- Vinsanity lives up to his name - Julian Garcia - New York Daily News
- Nets' defense looks healthy on zone diet - David Waldstein - Star-Ledger
- Carter, Nets happy to see 2008 in rear view mirror - Al Iannazzone - The Nets Insider
- Iverson powers NBA's Pistons past Nets - AFP
- NBA: Detroit 83, New Jersey 75 - UPI
- VC ejected, fumes at ref over alleged remark - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Najera takes Anderson's spot - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Carter incensed by ref's coments - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Nets Notes: Sticking with Yi - Al Iannazzone - The Record
- Pistons' fifth straight win a team effort - Chris McCosky - Detroit News
- Steal of the Night: Amir Johnson (video) - NBA.com
- Without three players, Pistons still beat Nets - Vince Ellis - Detroit Free Press
- Photo Gallery: Pistons 83, Nets 75 - Duane Burleson - AP